Display chamber packaging container and method for making

ABSTRACT

A packaging container having a first housing member that includes walls that fit within an area defined by the walls of a second housing member, and a chamber cover that includes an area for housing or displaying goods. In one embodiment, the chamber cover is substantially surrounded by the opening of the first member of the housing, and includes a flange that abuts against the bottom of the first member of the housing to secure the chamber cover with respect to the housing, wherein the cover includes an area for housing or displaying goods. The chamber may also be integrally formed with the first housing member. The housing members may be made from a paper material that can include a substantially tear-resistant material.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/380,159, filed Apr. 25, 2006, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/651,815,filed Aug. 28, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,876 which claims priorityto U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/406,779, filed onAug. 29, 2002 and PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US 2002/31224, filed onOct. 1, 2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to packaging containers and, moreparticularly, to packaging containers formed from multiple housingmembers, being opaque or otherwise, for housing products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heretofore, it has been well known to use clamshell packaging forlabeling and housing various products. Clamshells are generallycomprised of a housing and a chamber for storing products and may bereusable or permanently sealed. Permanently sealed clamshells aregenerally formed from a clear plastic housing that is sealed togetherthrough radio frequency (RF), sonic vibrations or electrical resistance.As the housing is generally made from clear plastic, inserts made ofcardboard and other materials are often inserted into the clamshellpackaging to describe or label the goods. Furthermore, products withinthe packaging may be further packaged to enhance the overall appearanceof the package.

While permanently sealed clamshells offer increased protection frompilfering, there are several drawbacks associated with the use of suchclamshells. In particular, the processes for inserting an insert and forsealing the clamshell together are generally expensive and timeconsuming. Moreover, in order to hold the larger quantities of productsin the “institutional” or “value” packages normally sold in warehouseclubs and the like, and/or to make such packages harder to shoplift,such large all-plastic clamshells tend to take up a greater amount ofshelf space than necessary, use up more packaging material thannecessary to make the package, and result in a greater amount of wastedpackaging material. It is also common for the products to be furtherpackaged inside the clamshell packaging, thereby requiring additionalmaterial, incurring additional cost and creating a larger overallpackage.

Such sealed all-plastic clamshells also tend to be harder to open by theconsumer (after purchase) than other sorts of packaging. Additionally,such plastic packaging is typically rigid, whereby a knife or scissorsbeing used to open the package by penetrating the plastic clamshell canbounce or slip off the package and cut or otherwise wound the user orsomeone situated adjacent the user. When cut open, the plastic housingoften has sharp edges that can pose a risk to the user and/or youngchildren. Furthermore, the plastic housing of the known packaging arenot biodegradable or environment-friendly.

Another common type of container incorporates an opaque box to storegoods or products so that they are not visible to the consumers orothers. Such boxes are typically made from a cardboard or heavy stockpaper having sides comprised of flaps. In order to seal the boxes, theflaps of the box are adhered to one another. The box is, therefore,opened by pulling one flap apart from the other flaps of the box. Whilethese boxes may, in many respects, work, problems have arisen withrespect to their use. In particular, because of the way that the boxesare opened and closed, the edges of the flaps are not perfectly flushwith the box. Accordingly, the edges may be torn and/or inadvertentlyopened if the packaging is contacted against a sharp surface or otherobject. Having opened or partially opened boxes may result in additionalcosts and expenses to the storeowner or seller because consumers areless likely to buy goods that appear to have been tampered with ordamaged. Many cartons are also housed in a clear plastic clamshell toinhibit theft, which results in a higher cost per piece and a largerpackage (thus more shelf space).

Additionally, because these boxes may be readily opened by opening aflap along their exposed seams, the products are susceptible topilfering and such pilfering is not always immediately detectable. Thepotential problem with pilfering of products, such as razorblades, hasforced many stores to remove the products from the general store shelvesand instead place such products behind the counters. Accordingly, boththe customers and employees are inconvenienced by the fact that theproducts must be specifically requested by the customers and retrievedby an employee in order to purchase them.

Furthermore, while certain parts of packaging may be recyclable, manypackages do not provide for an entire structure that is easilyrecyclable and cost effective.

Therefore, there is a need to produce a packaging container that iseconomical, easy to manufacture and that may be ecologically friendly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an improvement over the prior product packagingin the way that the chamber cover or tray and housing interact to formthe product packaging and in the types of materials used in the productpackaging. In particular, in one embodiment, the housing includes one ormore openings to accommodate one or more trays for storing theproduct(s). Each of the trays has a chamber and a flange that extendsaround the bottom of the chamber so that when the chamber is insertedthrough the opening in the housing, the flange abuts with the undersideof the top or bottom half of the housing to prevent the tray from beingpulled through the opening.

In one embodiment, the layers of the card material for the housing areoverlapped so as to criss-cross the grain of the overlapped layers used.Accordingly, the housing is resistant to tearing in two directionsinstead of only one. The housing also is preferably printable to allowfor advertising, promotional or other information to be displayed.

The product tray is preferably opaque or substantially opaque and madefrom a material that is printable. In one embodiment, the tray is madefrom a flat blank that is printed on and then formed into the desiredtray shape. In order to increase the rigidity of the package and tofacilitate stacking, flutes may be added to encircle the chamber of atray such that they will be located in an area within the opening of thehousing to enhance the rigidity of the material and to give theimpression that the material is difficult to cut.

The material for the tray may also be substantially tear-resistant. Inorder to further protect against theft, the tray is preferablysubstantially seamless and may have reinforced corners, if corners arepresent. Such seams or exposed tape present on conventional packaging(which makes them prone to pilferage) can thus be avoided. A securitydevice such as an electronic device sensor may also be placed within theproduct packaging to inhibit anyone from stealing the whole package.

The package may also include multiple trays. In order to permit certainnon-aesthetic or unattractive features of the products contained withinthe package from being displayed, it is appreciated that, in the case ofa double or multiple tray package, one of the trays may be opaque orsubstantially opaque and the other tray may be substantiallytransparent. The trays may also all be opaque or substantially opaque toprevent the package's contents from being viewed.

In the case of the substantially transparent tray, the tray may be,among other things, a single large plastic compartment or multipleplastic compartments, and is preferably secured within the housing bythe overlapping layers of the card portion. Thus, once in place, theproducts are securely contained within and visible through only one sideof the housing.

In another embodiment, a pair of trays having a heat seal coatingtherebetween may be placed together with their open storage chambersfacing each other to house a product. The flanges or rims of the traysmay then be heat sealed together. The trays also may include areinforced layer material to provide protection against tampering orpilfering.

The trays may also be designed to permit them to be stacked for storageand/or shipping. In one embodiment, the chamber of the tray includesside walls that are angled inwardly and a substantially flat top wall topermit multiple trays to be placed on top of one another. In order toreinforce the packaging to, among other things, prevent damage to thepackaging during the stacking process, a single sided corrugate, e-fluteor other rigid member may be adhered to one or both of the halves of thehousing. A heat seal coating is preferably placed on the other side ofthe corrugate to allow the corrugate to be heat sealed to the other sideof the housing to form a reinforced package. Ribs may also be added tothe tray to provide for additional strength and to facilitate thestacking process.

A reinforced insert card made of corrugate or chip board also may beplaced between the housing halves or members to provide added strengthto the package. In order to inhibit the tearing open of the package, asubstantially tear-resistant material such as VALERON™ may be laminatedor otherwise attached or adhered to one or both sides of the insertcard.

In yet another embodiment of a package of the present invention, thepackage may include a first housing member that includes walls that fitwithin an area defined by the walls of a second housing member, and achamber cover that includes an area for housing or displaying goods. Inone embodiment, the chamber cover is substantially surrounded by theopening of the first housing member, and includes a flange that abutsagainst the bottom of the first housing member to secure the chambercover with respect to the housing, wherein the cover includes an areafor housing or displaying goods. The chamber cover may also beintegrally formed with the first housing member.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a newpackaging container wherein the housing is manufactured from a printablematerial that may be substantially tear-resistant.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new packagingcontainer having a printable substantially opaque tray.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a newpackaging container that eliminates the need to wrap or further packageproducts within the package.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a newpackaging container that is good for the environment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a newpackaging container that is safer to open.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packagingcontainer for displaying products or product information that issubstantially tear-resistant.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a packagingcontainer that inhibits theft and the inadvertent opening of thepackaging.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide for traysfor packaging containers that facilitate stacking.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a packagingcontainer that is ecologically friendly.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a packagingcontainer that is easy and economical to manufacture.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals referto like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a clamshell packagehaving a central tray.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the clamshell package showing the housingbottom sheet rotated away from the housing top sheet and the central,single rectangular tray having a flange to be securely retained betweenthe top and bottom sheets when attached.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a blank for forming into a tray.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pair of trays.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a packaging container showing the housingbottom sheet rotated away from the housing top sheet and a pair of traysfor securing within the housing.

FIG. 6 is a top view of one embodiment of a tray of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the tray of FIG. 6 with another tray of thepresent invention aligned beneath it.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a blister packproviding criss-cross grain card material surrounding a plurality ofblisters.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a housing for thepackaging container.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of another embodiment of a housing for thepackaging container.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a housingfor the packaging container having an insert card.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of an embodiment of a packaging containerhaving a pair of hingedly-connected trays.

FIG. 13 is a front elevation view of the packaging container of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of an embodiment of a packaging containerhaving one tray.

FIG. 15 is a front elevation view of the packaging container of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of a packaging container having twoseparate housing members or trays that may be connected together.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment apackaging container illustrating two housing members and a chamber coverthat may be joined together.

FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a packagingcontainer having two housing members that are joined together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail several specific embodiments, with the understanding that thepresent disclosure is to be considered merely an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and the application is limited only to theappended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, theimproved product packaging of the present invention, generallydesignated by the numeral 100, is shown having a housing 106 and a tray102 having a chamber for storing the product. While a box-shaped chamberor a chamber having angled sides is shown and disclosed, it isappreciated that the present invention may be used with any number oftrays of any known size and shape and with any number of different typesof packaging for products and not depart from the scope of theinvention.

The housing may be made from a SBS board coated on one side with alaminated material having directional grains so that when two housingsheets having grains 140 and 150 are placed on top of one another suchthat the grains overlap, the criss-crossing grains 160 of the materialsadds strength to the housing and protects against tearing or tamperingin two directions. A suitable coating is manufactured under thetrademark VALERON™ by Valeron Strength Films. While VALERON is made froma polyethylene material, other such coatings such as, but not limitedto, polypropylene or polyester may be used. The material used also ispreferably printable to allow for advertising, promotional or otherinformation to be displayed on the housing. While a SBS board with across-laminated coating is preferred, it is appreciated that othermaterials having single or multi-directional grains or sufficientstrength to resist tearing including, but not limited to, cloth films,cloth and plastic films, heat sealable boards and other coatings, alsomay be used and not depart from the scope of the present invention.Examples of cloth films and cloth and plastic films include those filmssold under the names SCRIMM and CLAFF. A corrugate stock also may beused to achieve a more rigid product.

As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 106 is preferably made from a singlesheet of material having a scored line 108 to facilitate the folding ofthe top half 110 onto the bottom half 112 of the sheet to form theproduct packaging 100. While the housing is shown as being formed from asingle sheet, it is appreciated that it may be formed from two or moresheets that are then laminated, affixed or otherwise secured or placedtogether. The top sheet 110 of the housing of the packaging includes anopening 114 sized to accommodate a tray 102 for storing products orother materials such as labels (not shown) or the like. The opening maybe of any shape or size to accommodate a suitable tray. Furthermore, itis appreciated that the housing may have any number of openings toaccommodate a number of trays and not depart from the scope of thepresent invention.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the housing is made from a pairof paper or board products. A first layer 300 such as, but not limitedto SBS board, recycled board, cardboard or other board stock paper or acombination thereto may be coated with a tear-resistant material 302such as, but not limited to, VALERON, PLA (corn oil plastic) or anysupporting film or material. A heat seal coating 304 may then beextruded or laminated onto the first layer. A second layer 310, whichmay comprise a single-faced or double-faced corrugate, e-flute or a chipboard stock layer may then have a heat seal coating 312 extruded orlaminated thereon. This construction adds to the rigidity andstackability of the packages. In addition to being laminated together,it is appreciated that the layers may be attached together using any ofthe known means including, but not limited to, using glue or adhesive.It is further appreciated that the housing may be made without a tearresistant coating.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the housing may also comprise a single sidedcorrugate or e-flute 320 affixed or adhered to one or both sides of oneof the housing sheets or members 110, 112. It is appreciated thatinstead of adhering or affixing to one or both sides of the housing, aninsert such as, but not limited to, a corrugate, chip board or e-flutemay be placed between the housing sheets or members, wherein the insertwill be held in placed once the housing sheets or members are attachedor affixed together (e.g., by heat-sealing). Where a corrugate isadhered to only one side, it is preferred that the corrugate 320 includea heat seal coating 322 on the liner side to permit the corrugate 320 tobe heat sealed to the other housing sheet or member. While a singlesided corrugate is shown and disclosed, it is appreciated that otherknown materials may be used to reinforce the packaging including, butnot limited to, a chip board stock. It is appreciated that the corrugatemay be coated with a substantially tear resistant material such as, butnot limited to, VALERON. While a single sided corrugate with across-laminated coating may be used in one embodiment, it is appreciatedthat other materials having sufficient strength to resist tearingincluding, but not limited to, cloth films, cloth and plastic films,heat sealable boards and other coatings, also may be used and not departfrom the scope of the present invention. Examples of cloth films andcloth and plastic films include those films sold under the names SCRIMMand CLAFF. It is appreciated that the corrugate or insert may be used inconnection with a standard housing (e.g., a housing made of standardboard materials such as recycled board or SBS sheets) or a tearresistant housing and not depart from the scope of the presentinvention.

In order to enhance the aesthetics of the packaging and to furtherprevent tampering, as shown in FIG. 11, it is appreciated that one ofthe housing sheets 110, 112 may include edge members 330 that may befolded over to secure an insert card 332 (e.g., a single sidedcorrugate, e-flute or chip board stock) thereto. The insert card 332 maybe coated with a substantially tear resistant material such as, but notlimited to, VALERON on one or both of its sides. While a SBS board witha cross-laminated coating may be used in one embodiment, it isappreciated that other materials having sufficient strength to resisttearing including, but not limited to, cloth films, cloth and plasticfilms, heat sealable boards and other coatings, also may be used and notdepart from the scope of the present invention. Examples of cloth filmsand cloth and plastic films include those films sold under the namesSCRIMM and CLAFF. In one example of the assembly, the insert card 332 isplaced on top of the inside of the bottom sheet 112 of the housing 106.The edge members 330 of the bottom sheet 112 may then be folded on topof the insert card 332. Preferably, the edge members 330 are shaped sothat they form a substantially contiguous surface area when folded over.A tray may then be placed on top of the insert card 332 (or may beplaced before the insert card is inserted to extend through an opening334 in the insert card 332). The top sheet 110 of the housing 106 maythen be placed on top of the bottom sheet 112 so that the chamber of thetray extends through an opening 114 in the top sheet 110. The top andbottom sheets 110, 112 may then be heat sealed together or otherwiseattached as previously described. By folding over the edge members, thepackaging thus creates a more aesthetically attractive appearance byconcealing the insert card from view, while also increasing protectionagainst tampering and the strength of the edges.

The chamber of the tray 102 preferably extends outward from the housingsheet in order to house the product or label and is preferably made of asubstantially opaque material to enable the contents inside the tray tobe at least substantially hidden from view. This opaque tray would bewell suited for a product that is small, unattractive or otherwiseunsuitable or undesired for display or of little interest to theconsumer. Attractive graphics and/or product information could thus beused on the tray as well. It is further appreciated that the interiorchamber of the tray may be sized and shaped to facilitate the stackingof multiple yet to be used trays during the manufacturing process. Whilethe tray shown and disclosed includes a chamber that has anglesincorporated into the walls 124 of the chamber and a flat top wall 122to permit, among other things, multiple trays to be nested, it isappreciated that the chamber and tray may be of any known shape and sizeand not depart from the scope of the present invention. For example, itis appreciated that the chamber may be substantially box-shaped and notdepart from the scope of the present invention.

While the material for the tray may be made from a wide variety ofmaterials, it is preferred that the material be of the type known toprotect against tearing or tampering. The tray thereby acts to preventconsumers from seeing the product, as well as preventing undesiredremoval of the product from the package prior to purchase. An example ofsuch a material is a SBS board coated on one or both sides (or multiplecoating on the same side) with a material having directional grains suchas VALERON™ such that the grains criss-cross to add strength to thetray. It is also appreciated that the tray may comprise two layers ofSBS board that are coated with a laminated material having directionalgrains so that when the two layers are placed on top of one another suchthat the grains 132, 134 overlap in a criss-cross fashion. Thecriss-cross grains of the material add strength to the tray and protectagainst tearing or tampering in two directions. A suitable coating ismanufactured under the trademark VALERON™ by Valeron Strength Films.While VALERON is made from a polyethylene material, other such coatingssuch as, but not limited to, polypropylene or polyester may be used.Another example of a suitable coating or laminate is PLA (corn oilplastic).

While a SBS board with a cross-laminated coating is preferred, it isappreciated that other materials having sufficient strength to resisttearing including, but not limited to, cloth films, cloth and plasticfilms, heat sealable boards and other coatings, also may be used and notdepart from the scope of the present invention. Examples of cloth filmsand cloth and plastic films include those films sold under the namesSCRIMM and CLAFF.

Various forms of paper products, such as one or multiple layers of heavystock paper, cardboard or recycled paperboard having sufficient strengthto house the products may also be used. For heavier items, it isappreciated that stronger material such as corrugated paper may be usedand not depart from the scope of the present invention. It is alsoappreciated that e-flute or other fine corrugate material may be used.In one embodiment, the paper product may comprise an SBS board, recycledboard or other board stock product. Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, thetray may comprise a main chamber area 138 and one or more flutes 136extending around the chamber in an area within the opening of thehousing to enhance the rigidity of the material and to give theimpression that the material is difficult to cut. The tray may beattached to another tray as shown in FIG. 7 to form a packagingcontainer having a larger holding area or to a sheet or other materialto close off the open end of the chamber. The flutes may also facilitatestacking of the trays. In one embodiment, when stacked in multiplevertical layers of products, the bottom layer withstands pressure of atleast 1500 pounds when stacked. A heat seal coating may also be extrudedor laminated onto the liner side of the chamber or the blank tofacilitate assembly of the packaging. It is appreciated that the heatseal coating may be used in connection with or separate from thesubstantial tear-resistant material.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the tray 102 may be formed from a blank 200 ofmaterial that is preferably printable to allow for advertising,promotional or other information to be displayed on the tray. In thepreferred embodiment, the step of printing on the tray may be performedprior to stamping or otherwise forming the tray from the blank. As shownin FIG. 2, the formed tray 102 may then be placed so as to be sandwichedbetween the two housing halves 110 and 112, so that the walls 124 of thechamber of the tray 102 extend through the opening 114 while beingretained by the top half 110 of the housing.

To prevent objects from tampering with or damaging the package 100, andto prevent the tray 102 from being pulled through the opening 114, it ispreferred that the chamber of the tray 102 be sized to fit snugglywithin the opening 114 so that the sheet 110 of the housing 106substantially surrounds the perimeter of the open end of the chamber. Inorder to secure the tray 102 within the housing 106, a flange 116 mayextend around the bottom or open end 118 of the chamber such that whenthe chamber of the tray 102 is inserted through the opening 114, theflange 116 abuts with the underside 120 of the top half 110 of thehousing 106 to prevent the tray 102 from being pulled through theopening 114. While a contiguous flange is shown in the figures, it isappreciated that the chamber may be retained between sheets 110 and 112by a non-contiguous flange, a series of tabs or other suitable meanssuch as adhesives and/or staples and the like (not shown).

In order to further assist in the prevention of theft of the package 100and its contents, the interconnection between the walls 124 of thechamber are preferably substantially seamless. Accordingly, unlike theknown product packages, the walls will not tend to separate or be easilyseparated by the consumer to facilitate the unwanted opening of thechamber and removal of the contents-before purchase of the product.Additionally, the corners (if any) and/or sides of the chamber may bereinforced to further prevent any tampering with the chamber or itscontents. Examples of chambers having reinforced corners and sidesinclude, but are not limited to, chambers having their edges reinforcedwith fiber-reinforced tape or a fiber laminate, similar to a set-up box.

Referring now to FIG. 5, another embodiment of the present invention isshown wherein the packaging 100 comprises a dual tray construction witha top tray 202 for extending through the opening 114 in the top half 110of the housing 106 and a bottom tray 102 for extending through anopening 214 in the bottom half 112 of the housing 106. It is appreciatedthat the bottom and top trays may be made of a variety of shapes andsizes depending on the desired package configuration and the size andshape of the products to be packaged within the container. To preventobjects from tampering with or damaging the package, it is preferredthat the top and bottom trays have chambers sized to fit snuggly withintheir respective opening so that the sheet of the housing substantiallysurrounds the perimeters of the open ends of the chambers of the trays.For example, in order to secure the top tray 202 within the housing, aflange 216 may extend around the bottom or open end of the chamber ofthe top tray 202 such that when the chamber of the top tray 202 isinserted through the opening 114 from behind, the flange 216 abuts withthe underside of the top half 110 of the sheet to prevent the tray 202from being pulled through the opening 114. Similarly, in order to securethe bottom tray 102 within the housing, a flange 116 may extend aroundthe bottom or open end of the chamber of the bottom tray 102 such thatwhen the bottom chamber is inserted through the opening 214, the flange116 abuts with the underside of the bottom half 112 of the housing toprevent the tray 102 from being pulled through the opening 214. While acontiguous flange is shown as being used on the top and bottom trays, itis appreciated that either tray may be retained by a contiguous flange,a non-contiguous flange, a series of tabs or other suitable means suchas adhesives and/or staples and the like.

It is appreciated that the trays 102, 202 may be formed connectedtogether at one side so that the trays may be rotated together about ascored line 208 to form a dual-sided tray, or the trays may be separateand placed together with the open tray chambers being placedface-to-face to form the dual-sided tray or aligned with separateopenings in the bottom half 112 or the top half 110 of the housing toform two separate trays. It is further appreciated that when the traysare placed together in face-to-face arrangement to form a dual-sidedtray, both trays may be substantially opaque, or, if it is desired toshow one side of the product(s) in the packaging, as shown in FIG. 5,one of the trays may be made of a substantially transparent materialsuch as, but not limited to PVC.

With the chambers of the trays 102, 202 inserted into their respectiveopenings 114, 214, one or more products or labels may be placed withinthe trays for storage or, if a substantially transparent tray is used,in the proper orientation for display. The two housing halves 112, 114or portions are then closed together about the scored line 108 andsecurely affixed. The two halves are preferably affixed together using aheat-sealed adhesive, although it is appreciated that other types ofadhesives or attaching means may be utilized and not depart from thescope of the present invention.

The packaging 100 may also include a hole or slot 104 at the upper endof the packaging or elsewhere that is sized to enable the packaging tobe placed onto a display or store shelves using a rod or peg board hook(not shown) at the point of sale for sale or display. Because of thecross sectional characteristics of the housing, the hole is reinforcedto prevent tearing or manipulation.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 and 13, another embodiment of the presentinvention shows a pair of trays 400, 402 hingedly connected togetherabout a scored line 404. The package may also include a strip 406 havinga hole or slot 408 extending therethrough that is sized to enable thesealed trays to be placed onto a rod or peg board hook (not shown) atthe point of sale for sale or display.

Each of the trays in one embodiment is made from a substantially opaquematerial of the type known to protect against tearing or tampering. Thetray thereby acts to prevent consumers from seeing the product, as wellas preventing undesired removal of the product from the package prior topurchase. An example of such a material is a SBS board coated with adirectional material such as VALERON™ such that the grains criss-crossto add strength to the tray. It is also appreciated that the tray maycomprise two layers of SBS board that are coated with a laminatedmaterial having directional grains so that when the two layers areplaced on top of one another, the grains overlap. The criss-cross grainsof the material add strength to the tray and protect against tearing ortampering in two directions.

While VALERON is made from a polyethylene material, other such coatingssuch as, but not limited to, polypropylene or polyester may be used.Another example of a suitable coating or laminate is PLA (corn oilplastic). The trays also preferably include a heat seal coating topermit the rims or flanges 410, 412 of the trays 400, 402 to be securelyheld together while providing sealed edges to house the products forstorage and display.

While a SBS board with a cross-laminated coating is preferred, it isappreciated that other materials having sufficient strength to resisttearing including, but not limited to, cloth films, cloth and plasticfilms, heat sealable boards and other coatings, also may be used and notdepart from the scope of the present invention. Examples of cloth filmsand cloth and plastic films include those films sold under the namesSCRIMM and CLAFF. It is also appreciated that the trays may be made froma paper product already having a reinforced layer material (e.g.,VALERON) applied or adhered thereto prior to formation into a tray.

Referring now to FIGS. 14 and 15, it is appreciated that the packagingcontainer may only have one tray 400 that is hingedly connected to aflat sheet, card or blank. Further, it is appreciated that the tray andthe flat sheet may be manufactured separately and attached together. Itis appreciated that the tray 400 is preferably a printable paper trayhaving a flange about the base of the chamber. The underside of theflange may be heat sealed or otherwise attached to the flat sheet orcard in a known way. The flat sheet or card may be made from a papermaterial such as, but not limited to a paper stock, a paperboard or acorrugate layer. It is also appreciated that it may comprise a pair ofpaper layers or sheets attached together, wherein the sheets may includean outer tear resistant material such as, but not limited to, VALERON,applied thereto or thereon. The pair of paper layers also may include acorrugate layer or other firm insert attached or placed in between thesheets to increase the overall rigidity of the package. One or moreadditional trays may also be attached to the back side of the card tohouse additional products or parts.

As shown in FIG. 16, it is also appreciated that the pair of trays maybe manufactured separately (i.e., without a hinge) and not depart fromthe scope of the present invention.

It is also appreciated that the packaging may comprise a top formedpaper tray with or without a tear-resistant coating or layer and one ormore smaller trays extending through corresponding openings in a papersheet or backing that is attached to the top paper tray in a known way,such as by heat sealing. The outer edges of the top tray may have flatflanges or raised regions to facilitate stacking in a nested fashion.Such nested stacking can be provided for by providing a concave bottomportion to receive the top portion of the package below it in a nested,stacked fashion. The smaller trays can be configured to protrude fromeither the front of the top tray and/or the back of the top tray or aseparate back tray. Two or more smaller trays can be operably affixed tothe top tray so as to provide multiple outwardly closed chambers forholding products without the need to use any plastic in the package forenvironmental reasons. The smaller trays may also be attached directlyto the inside of the top paper tray in a known way. It is appreciatedthat the trays extending through the openings of the sheet may be madefrom a variety of materials including, but not limited to, plastic ormolded, printable paper, depending on the desired characteristics of thepackage (e.g., if it is desired to see the contents) and not depart fromthe scope of the present invention. If made of paper, the trays may alsoinclude a tear-resistant outer layer or coating. If smaller trays areplaced on opposite sides of the top tray, the smaller trays can bealigned open end to open end or offset with respect to each other.

It is further appreciated that the tray may also contain an electronicsecurity device such as, but not limited to, a productsensor/transmitter that will set off an alarm to indicate that aconsumer or customer may be passing a security sensor and therebyleaving the store with an unpurchased product. Such a sensor would bedeactivated upon payment for the product at the point of purchase.

In order to gain access to the product or information contained withinthe tray, it is understood that the housing may be cut with scissors ora knife. Because of the material used for the housing, the resulting cutsurfaces will be substantially free of sharp edges, thereby making theproduct package safer to use.

Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, embodiments of a package of the presentinvention are shown comprising a series of housing members that aresized and shaped to fit together. FIG. 17 illustrates an exploded viewof a package having an upper housing member or third tray 500, a lowerhousing member or first tray 510 and a chamber cover or second tray 520.The terms upper and lower member are used merely to define the membersshown in the drawings and are not meant to limit the application to theembodiment shown. Referring to FIG. 17, the lower member 510 includes abottom 512 and four walls 514 extending therefrom to define an open areabetween the walls. In one embodiment, the walls 514 are angled outwardlyto facilitate assembly of the package. A rim 516 may extend from aboutthe top of walls 514. A raised central area 518 may extend upward fromthe bottom 512 of the lower member 510, which defines a flat area aroundits perimeter to facilitate attachment to the chamber cover 520 asexplained in further detail below.

The chamber cover 520 comprises a top 522 and four walls 524 that may beangled outwardly, and includes an open area or chamber to house and/ordisplay goods. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, the distance betweenthe end of the walls is slightly larger than the raised central area 518of the lower member 510 so that the raised central area 518 fits snugglywithin the bottom of the chamber cover 520. A rim or flange 526 extendsaround the ends of the walls. During assembly, the rim 526 preferablyabuts and is attached to the flat area of the bottom 512 of the lowermember 510 in a known way such as, but not limited to, adhesives or RFsealing.

The upper member 500 includes four walls 502 that are angled inwardlyfrom the top. The bottom of the walls includes a substantially flat area506 that may abut and attach to the rim 526 of the chamber cover 520 tomaintain the chamber cover 520 within the package. A rim or flange 504extends from about the upper end of the walls 502 so that, duringassembly, the rim 504 may overlap and attach to the rim 516 of the lowermember 510 in a known way such as, but not limited to, through adhesivesor RF sealing. The rims therefore facilitate attachment of the membersto one another. If it is desired to view the contents of the package, itis appreciated that one of the lower member or chamber cover may also betransparent.

Referring now to FIG. 18, another embodiment showing the upper memberand chamber cover as being integrally formed is shown. It is furtherappreciated that the package may define multiple cavities for housinggoods and not depart from the scope of the present invention.

In operation of one embodiment of the creation of a package of thepresent invention, the chamber cover 520 is placed through the openingof the upper member 500 so that the rim 526 of the chamber cover 520overlaps the substantially flat portion 506 of the bottom of the uppermember 500. Items for inclusion in the package may then be placed withinthe chamber defined by the four walls 522 of the chamber cover 520. Thelower member may then be placed over the upper member 500 and chambercover 520 and the items to enclose them within the package. The membersand chamber cover may be attached to one another in a known way such as,but not limited to, adhesive or RF sealing. It is also appreciated thatthe chamber cover may be placed within the lower member prior toattaching the upper member thereto. Shrink banding may also be used byapplying a wrapper to the package to give the package a clean look andto enhance the seal. While the material for the members and chambercover may be made of a variety of different materials including but notlimited to, paper, board stock or reinforced paper, in one embodimentthey may be formed or molded from a pulp. The pulp may consist of arecyclable material.

With respect to the reinforced paper, it is appreciated that paper, anSBS board or other known layer may be coated or laminated with adirectional material that inhibits tearing. A suitable coating ismanufactured under the trademark VALERON™ by Valeron Strength Films.While Valeron is made from a polyethylene material, other such coatingssuch as, but not limited to, polypropylene or polyester may be used. Thematerial used also is preferably printable to allow for advertising,promotional or other information to be displayed on the housing. While aSBS board with a cross-laminated coating is preferred, it is appreciatedthat other materials having sufficient strength to resist tearing,including, but not limited to, cloth films, cloth and plastic films,heat sealable boards and other coatings, also may be used and not departfrom the scope of the present invention. Examples of cloth films andcloth and plastic films include those films sold under the names SCRIMMand CLAFF.

While the housing members are shown and disclosed as rectangular inshape, it is appreciated that they may be of a variety of shapesincluding, but not limited to, square or circular, and not depart fromthe scope of the present invention.

Turning to FIG. 8, an embodiment of a pill dispensing blister pack 190is shown having a housing 191 and a plurality of blisters 192. Thehousing is preferably a criss-cross grain double layer card 191 thatincludes a top sheet 193 and a bottom sheet 194 that surround and retaina plurality of blisters 192. In the preferred embodiment, the housing ismade from a SBS board coated on one side with a laminated materialhaving directional grains that overlap when two housing sheets arefolded or otherwise placed on top of one another to add strength to thehousing and further protect against undesired tearing or cutting. Asuitable coating is manufactured under the trademark VALERON™ by ValeronStrength Films. While Valeron is made from a polyethylene material,other such coatings such as, but not limited to, polypropylene orpolyester may be used. The material used also is preferably printable toallow for advertising, promotional or other information to be displayedon the housing. While a SBS board with a cross-laminated coating ispreferred, it is appreciated that other materials having sufficientstrength to resist tearing, including, but not limited to, cloth films,cloth and plastic films, heat sealable boards and other coatings, alsomay be used and not depart from the scope of the present invention.Examples of cloth films and cloth and plastic films include those filmssold under the names SCRIMM and CLAFF.

Similar to the packaging containers described above, the blisterspreferably include a rim about their bottom that interacts with thehousing sheets to secure the blister in place. While the blister pack isshown as having ten substantially round blisters, it is appreciated thatthe blister pack may have any number of blisters of varying shapes andnot depart from the scope of the present invention. A plurality ofdispensing slots are formed on the bottom of the card 191 and arecovered with film or foil so that the pills contained in blisters 192can be pushed through a thin film or foil sheet.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention, but it is understood that this application is limited only bythe scope of the appended claims.

1. A packaging container for goods comprising: a first tray having abottom and sides extending upwardly therefrom, the bottom and sidesdefining a first open area; a second tray having a top, a flange andwalls extending between the top and the flange, wherein the top andwalls define an inner chamber, and wherein the second tray is placedinto the first open area in an inverted position; and a third trayhaving a bottom including an opening sized to receive the second tray,and walls extending upwardly from the third tray bottom, wherein thethird tray is attached to the first tray and the bottom of the thirdtray engages the flange of the second tray.
 2. The packaging containerof claim 1 wherein at least one of the first tray, second tray and thirdtray is made from a substantially tear resistant material.
 3. Thepackaging container of claim 2 wherein the substantially tear resistantmaterial is a SBS board coated with a polyethylene material.
 4. Thepackaging container of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first trayand second tray is substantially transparent.
 5. The packaging containerof claim 4 wherein the at least one of the first tray and second tray ismade from plastic.
 6. The packaging container of claim 1 wherein atleast one of the first tray and second tray is made from printablematerial.
 7. The packaging container of claim 1 wherein the first andthird trays each comprise a rim that overlaps with one another.
 8. Thepackaging container of claim 1 wherein the second and third trays areintegrally formed.
 9. The packaging container of claim 1 wherein thefirst tray comprises a raised area that fits within the chamber.
 10. Thepackaging container of claim 1 wherein the first and third trays aremade from a paper product.
 11. The packaging container of claim 10wherein the paper product comprises cardboard.
 12. The packagingcontainer of claim 10 wherein the paper product comprises corrugatedpaperboard.
 13. The packaging container of claim 10 wherein the paperproduct comprises a SBS board.
 14. The packaging container of claim 1wherein the first tray comprises an exterior, and wherein the first trayincludes graphics on the exterior.
 15. The packaging container of claim1 wherein the second tray is substantially opaque.
 16. The packagingcontainer of claim 1 wherein the first and third trays are made frompulp.
 17. The packaging container of claim 1 wherein the first and thirdtrays have four sides.
 18. A package for one or more products or objectscomprising: a housing comprising: a first tray made from a paperproduct, the first tray having a bottom and sides extending upwardlyfrom the bottom, the bottom and sides defining a first open area; asecond tray having a top, a flange and sides extending between the topand the flange, wherein the top and sides define an inner chamber, andwherein the second tray is placed within the first open area of thefirst tray in an inverted position; and a third tray having a bottomincluding an opening sized to receive the second tray, and wallsextending upwardly from the third tray bottom, wherein the third tray isattached to the first tray and the third tray bottom engages the flangeof the second tray.
 19. The packaging container of claim 18 wherein thesecond tray is substantially opaque.
 20. The packaging container ofclaim 18 wherein the second tray is substantially transparent.
 21. Thepackaging container of claim 18 wherein the first and third trays arecoated with a heat seal coating for affixing the trays together.
 22. Thepackaging container of claim 18 wherein the paper product is a paperboard material selected from the group consisting of an SBS board, arecycled board or board stock material.
 23. The packaging container ofclaim 18 wherein the first tray of the housing has a flange extendingoutwardly from the sides of the first tray and the third tray of thehousing has a flange extending outwardly from the sides of the thirdtray wherein the flange of the first tray is attached to the flange ofthe third tray to form the packaging container.
 24. The container ofclaim 23 wherein the flanges of the first and third trays are coatedwith a heat seal coating, and wherein the flanges are heat sealedtogether.
 25. The packaging container of claim 18 wherein the first andthird trays have four sides.
 26. A method for manufacturing a packagingcontainer comprising the steps of: providing a first tray having abottom and sides extending upwardly therefrom, the bottom and sidesdefining a first open area; providing a second tray having a top, aflange and sides extending between the top and the flange, wherein thetop and sides define an inner chamber; placing the second tray into thefirst open area in an inverted position; providing a third traycomprised of a paper product material, and having a top, a bottom havingan opening therein, and sides extending downwardly between the top andthe bottom; placing the third tray over the second tray so that aportion of the second tray extends through the opening of the thirdtray; and attaching the first tray to the third tray.
 27. The method ofclaim 26 which further comprises the steps of: applying a heat sealcoating to the first tray; and applying a heat seal coating to the thirdtray.
 28. The method of claim 26 when the first and third trays havefour sides.